The subject matter disclosed herein generally relates to ram air turbine actuators, and more specifically to an apparatus and a method for heat removal from a ram air turbine (RAT) generator.
RATs are commonly used on modern aircraft to provide a secondary and/or emergency power source in the event the primary power source is insufficient or fails. A typical RAT includes a turbine that remains internal to the aircraft until needed. When additional power is required, a door in the aircraft's fuselage will open and the actuator will deploy the RAT's turbine into the freestream air. The turbine is rotated by the freestream air and the rotational power from the turbine is transferred through a drivetrain and converted into electrical power by a power generation device (e.g., an electrical generator). A RAT may also be used to drive a hydraulic pump.
The power generation device may produce excess heat that must be removed from the RAT.